Building Differently

Experiments to lower construction costs, from utilizing shipping containers to 3D printing, have been happening for years. But have we found anything that will help us build affordable housing at scale, and for less? And if not, what will it take to get us there? We’ll take a closer look in Building Differently, an Under the Lens series. The series launched in October 2021. Don’t miss a beat by signing up for our weekly newsletter.

Does ‘Innovation’ in Construction Just Mean Fewer Jobs?

“In community development, there are a number of different goals. The first goal, obviously, is to produce housing that is affordable and accessible, but we also have other goals around providing jobs for people.”

Containing Costs Through Shipping Container Housing

Reusing shipping containers for housing has been discussed for years. In West Palm Beach a whole affordable apartment building will be built out of them.

How Community Developers Are Using Alternative Construction Methods

Community developers try out new technologies and processes, oftentimes out of a sense of responsibility to help put potential solutions to the test.

Can New Construction Methods Lower the Cost of Housing?

3D printing, repurposed shipping containers, and offsite manufacturing have been held up as potential solutions to the country’s affordable-housing crisis. But are these new construction technologies helping?

Building Differently: Can It Reduce Construction Costs?

Experiments to lower construction costs, from reusing shipping containers to 3D printing walls, have been happening for years. But are any of these approaches able to provide meaningful savings at scale?